FARMING AT SAULT STE. MARIE.
"As for the cultivation of the lands: the Sieur de Repentigny had a bull, two bullocks, three cows, two heifers, one horse and a mare from Missilimakinac. He could not on his arrival make clearing of lands, for the work of his fort had entirely occupied his hired men. Last spring he cleared off the small trees and bushes within the range of the fort. He has engaged a Frenchman, who married at the Sault Ste. Marie an Indian woman, to take a farm; they have cleared it up and sowed it, and without a frost, they will gather 30 to 35 sacks of com. The said Sieur de Repentigny so much feels it his duty to devote himself to the cultivation of these lands, that he has already entered into a bargain for two slaves,[1] whom he will employ to take care of the corn that he will gather upon these lands."
APPROVAL OF COLONIAL MINISTER AT PARIS.
In a letter to Governor Duquesne, the successor of Jonquiere, the French minister for the colonies, wrote from Versailles on June 16, 1752: "By one of my despatches, written last year to M. de la Jonquiere, I intimated to him that I had approved of the construction of a fort at Sault Ste. Marie, and the project of cultivating the land, and raising cattle there. We cannot but approve the dispositions which have been made, but it must be considered that the cultivation of the lands, and the multiplication of cattle must be the principal object of it, and that trade must be only accessory to it. As it can hardly be expected that any other grain than corn will grow there, it is necessary,
- ↑ The slaves were Indians. In the Mackinaw parish register it is recorded that Louis Herbert, a child slave of Chevalier de Repentigny, was baptized. On July 13, 1758, at Mackinaw he stood as godfather for Mariame, a slave of Langlade.
